Top Truck Challenge 101: Hill Climb

The Top Truck Challenge Hill Climb is like no other hillclimb. We build it to our exacting specifications honed by years of experience. The 600-foot-long TTC Hill Climb course is the second event of the second day of TTC. The course is typically comprised of massive amounts of loose dirt on an average angle of approximately 60 degrees. The course twists and turns, too. But that’s not all. We dig holes along the way to make it even tougher. This event rewards drivers who can think on-the-fly while pinned back in their seat.

The rules are simple. Competitors have 5 minutes to hit the hill. During that time they can back up, winch, or stop to admire the view. What they can’t do is deviate from the course or violate safety rules. Those who complete the climb are ranked by their elapsed time. Those who do not complete the climb are ranked by how far they traveled.

How tough is the Hill Climb? Well, last year at TTC 2013, of the nine vehicles that attempted the Hill Climb, four did not finish. At TTC 2011, six of the nine vehicles that attempted the Hill Climb did not make it.

This photo shows Josh Hall in his Suzuki Samurai battling the Hill Climb at TTC 2011.